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Ben Wallis discusses why diversity is not enough to fix equity

Women’s Resource pushes for exposure

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2017

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Truman Board of Governors reveals presidential candidate expectations

By Jessica Shultz

Staff Writer

Submitted Photo The Kirksville Arts Center caught on fire Dec. 2, causing the loss of many types of artwork as well as the displacement of different events in the community which used the Arts Center as a venue. While the cause of the fire is undetermined it’s likely thought to have been because of a complication with electrical wiring.

Community mourns loss of Kirksville Arts Center

By Kira Hintz

The loss of the Kirksville Arts Association building to a fire on Dec. 2 has brought both economic and personal changes that will affect the city and the community of Kirksville with the investigation of the fire closed.

Assistant City Manager Ashley Young said losing the Arts Center could possibly have a negative impact on The Square.

Young said because people can no longer come to the Arts Center, the traffic of the downtown could decline. Young said having more people in The Square benefits the business owners downtown and that more traffic usually equals more revenue for the local downtown businesses. Although the Kirksville Arts Association is still committed to rebuilding, Young said the location of the new building has not yet been decided. Young said the new location could be in Kirksville or somewhere else, but that community and downtown business owners would be glad to have the KAA stay in The Square.

Young said an event meant to take place downtown also had to be relocated because of the Art Center’s damage.

Young said a Founders Day Frontier Celebration was planned to be held between City Hall and the Arts Center.

“We were going to have festive lights strung between buildings and tables and we were going to have a kind of folk style band play and have a meal that would recreate the original meal that was served to celebrate the naming of Kirksville, which included venison and different frontier fair type at the time,” Young said.

“And those plans obviously will have to be changed, so we’re looking to see what we can do within city government to continue to celebrate this important anniversary for our city.”

Young said to the best of his knowledge the KAA directors have not yet made a decision about the relocation of the building. What they plan to do, Young said, is go through a deliberate strategic planning process for the building, which they had intended to do before the fire with received grant funds, but the process has now taken on a more significant purpose after the fire.

Ray Jagger, who has been the Kirksville Police Department’s certified fire investigator for three years in Missouri and on the national level, has been helping the KAA identify the source of the fire.

Jagger said he was contacted shortly after the first officers were on the scene.

“It’s like any crime scene,” Jagger said. “The first thing I’ve always done is to make a lap to see what’s burnt, what’s going on with it. And then you try to talk to all the key players that are there now, make contact with the commander because you’ve got to work together on it.

[The incident commander] has gotta put out the fire and you’ve gotta figure out

what happened. So the two of you have to work together. But mostly then what I try to do is try to document what the firemen are doing because that way I can use that information to determine what was done before they got there.”

The primary goal of the fire investigator, Jagger said, is to get to the scene as soon as possible, establish what’s happening, document it, and then let the documentation help piece the causation of the damage together.

Jagger said fire incidents are the only crime where the crime scene is tampered with before the investigation occurs. Also, Jagger said the KPD has to work well with the Fire Department to understand what damage was done to the building before the fire was put out so the KPD can prove the source of the fire in court.

The source of the fire is found, Jagger said, by deciding where the area of origin is, looking within that area of origin to determine what the possible ignition sources in that area are, then eliminating what couldn’t have started the fire.

Jagger said the cause of the KAA building fire is undetermined, but likely was caused by the electrical wires. “[The KPD] outlined what the area of origin was and I said that I had found one set of possible ignition sources,” Jagger said. “What we found — I found — was some wires. When electrical wires short out, it creates a copper melt on those wires and creates a heat on the end of it. And that’s how you know that there was a fire.”

Jagger said it’s impossible to for sure say the cause of the fire was electrical despite evidence of where the fire appears to have started.

“Did [the conductors] short out and create the fire, or did the fire destroy the insulation and then the insulation shorted out? Well, it’s the question of what came first.”

Jagger said he and the KPD did not go into the building to further identify any other ignition sources because they used one ignition source and decided how much money it would cost to go and analyze the others. Jagger said the cost would’ve been $20,000 and because the police ruled it out as a non-suspicious fire, it didn’t make sense to spend that amount of money to eliminate all causes.

Meanwhile, when Jagger was investigating the fire’s cause, people like Andrea O’Brien lost their artwork that was displayed inside the arts center because of the fire.

The KAA, O’Brien, president of Hands of Friendship Quilt Guild, said she and her club were asked to help assist with the Folk Art Society Conference which was to take place in November at the Arts Center. O’Brien said the KAA had asked the Guild to provide a Trunk Show for the event, which is when quilts are brought in a container and have their significance and story explained to the audience. The

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exhibition displaying the quilts, O’Brien said, started the night before the fire and included about 35 quilts.

O’Brien said members of her Guild texted her and she and her friend went into town at 9 p.m. to see what was happening and if the quilts were okay. Arriving at the fire, O’Brien said she and her friend were nervous that the quilts might be lying on the street somewhere or might be ruined because they were not a priority of the firefighters trying to put out the fire. O’Brien said almost all the quilts were destroyed except for one, which was saved but has intense water damage and permanent soot stains.

O’Brien said seeing the fire and the damage to the quilts was devastating.

“The one quilt that was saved was one that I made from scraps that my grandma had left, and there’s no way to recreate that,” O’Brien said. “The fabrics are gone.

The quilt itself is completely gone. What was saved is a burned piece of — it’s a burnt piece of mess. The other quilt that I made was made from all brand-new fabrics and I made that quilt based on an inspiration that I had based on a picture that my son took of a sunset. I think the hard part is when you put so much time and energy into creating something really beautiful, it’s not just a blanket you throw on a bed. It’s made with so much love and so much care and so much attention to detail and it takes a lot of time. Hours and hours and hours of time. I probably put 160 to 180 hours just between those two quilts alone. So, they become a part of you and the stories that go along with them are a part of you.”

O’Brien said all owners of the quilts were contacted and the KAA called her to identify the quilts. Some members are thinking of cutting out pieces, O’Brien said, and framing them in shadow boxes or possibly recreating their quilts.

The loss of the Arts Center, O’Brien said, will be felt by all of the community.

“The loss of the Arts Center is devastating to the whole community,” O’Brien said. “The arts in Kirksville is something that really gives our community a lot of character. We have a lot of different types of artists in our community that people don’t always think about outside of the painters, people that do sculpting and things like that. There are a lot of forms of art that when you think about art as a whole, there a lot of various skilled people in this community. To me, the Arts Center helps to bring them together in a place that celebrates the culture and the history and the talent that we have here. It also has helped to educate other community members and schools and anybody who has visited some of the exhibits that they’ve had, it helps educate them on the different aspects of what the art means, what it derives, what it represents from the cultures of the communities where it comes from and it really provides a great educational piece.”

www.facebook.com/TrumanMediaNetwork

In an email to the student body, Truman State University Board of Governors said it narrowed down semifinalists for the University president position and will proceed with interviewing the finalists with the Stakeholder Advisory Committee.

The email explained the benefits of having a closed search. One detail that was revealed was that two thirds of the semi-finalist applications would not have applied had the search process been open.

The confidential process, using the Stakeholder Advisory Committee to provide feedback about the candidates, resulted in a search that included a robust group of experienced applicants from across the country, according to the email.

The Board of Governors gave more context about qualifications they seek in the next Truman president.

Sarah Burkemper, former Board of Governors chair, said the presidential search process is moving along, and there is limited time for Truman students to express their thoughts about character qualities they want in their next president.

Burkemper said students are advised to submit the Constituent Survey on the Board of Governors’ website or speak directly to Student Government President, senior JJ Dorrell, who is also serving as a Presidential Search Committee member.

Steps taken to protect Hazel Creek Lake

By Nicolas Telep Staff Writer

The City of Kirksville is applying for a state grant to fund a project to combat erosion at Hazel Creek Lake, one of the city’s sources of tap water.

The City Council approved the city’s application for the Source Water Protection Development and Implementation Grant, administered through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources on Nov. 21. The grant would provide the majority of the funding for reinforcing the lake’s shorelines to prevent erosion with the city covering the remainder of the cost.

Kirksville City Engineer Len Kollars said the city is seeking a 25-75 percent matching grant with the state, for a total of about $100,000. By the terms of the grant, the project will have to be completely finished by the end of 2017, but Kollars said he sees that as a reasonable goal. He said while the water quality at Hazel Creek Lake is good, wind and wave action are eroding sections of the shoreline of the 35-year-old lake. He said as eroded sediment falls down to the bottom of the lake, the capacity of the lake is reduced. Additionally, Kollars said, eroding sediment makes it harder for vegetation to take root, and leaves the banks even more vulnerable to damage.

“In order to keep the volume of the lake at its maximum peak we like to minimize the impact on sediment deposits and erosion into the water, but the quality of the water is very good in Hazel Creek,” Kollars said. “The life expectancy of a lake should exceed fifty years or more.”

Kollars said about half of Kirksville’s water supply comes from the city-owned Hazel Creek Lake. It is especially important in the summer when the city’s other source of water — Forest Lake in Thousand Hills State Park — is kept at a high level for recreational use.

Assistant City Manager Ashley Young said there has not been a maintenance project like this undertaken at Hazel Creek Lake since it was built in the early 1980s.

Young said boat ramps on the north and south shore of the lake will be specifically targeted with funding from the grant. He said the lake is popular for fishing, hunting and boating, and the improvements on the shorelines would enhance the recreational experience at the lake.

Young said the project has “the goal not only of preserving the recreation areas but, of course ultimately protecting the water supply by reducing the turbidity [amount of sediment] of the water that we’re taking into our water treatment facility.”

He also said the less sediment there is in the lake, the less money the city has to spend on treating the water.

“It’s a win-win for everyone,” Young said. @TrumanMediaNet

© 2017

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

Mainstreet Market opens again after winter break

STUDENT SENATE IN BRIEF

Student Government did not meet this week because Truman State’s campus was closed for Winter Break.

NEWS IN BRIEF

MAE program gains notoriety

Photo by Rachel Fechter/TMN

The Truman Master of Arts in Education program has gained full national accreditation for the next seven years from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation. The MAE program underwent significant changes to become one of the first educator programs in the country to gain the national accreditation. The CAEP accreditation is an indication of a quality program with high standards, and helps Truman’s MAE degree stand out to employers on a national level.

Photo by Rachel Fechter/TMN Top: The newly renovated Mainstreet Market reopened after Winter Break for a second semester of serving the Truman community. Students lined up in the Student Union Building to get dinner following the first day of spring courses.

Left: Around 7 p.m., members of the Truman community fill the tables of Mainstreet Market eating and repopulating a venue that’s been vacated for weeks with the campus closed for Winter Break.

Bottom: Customers wait to place their orders at the Chick-fil-A at Mainstreet Market. Truman students seemed to respond favorably to Chick-fil-A during its first semester of operation last fall, as it was always a busy location when visiting the SUB.

Truman secures spot on list of best value colleges

Kiplinger’s Personal Finance placed Truman at number 60 on their list of “Top 300 Best College Values of 2017.” Truman was the highest-rated Missouri public school, and the second-highestrated Missouri school overall on the list, coming in behind Washington University in St. Louis.

Bulldog B.I.T.E. implements elevator pitches

The competition known as Business Innovation by Truman Entrepreneurs, abbreviated as Bulldog B.I.T.E., is an opportunity for students to pitch their ideas, products and concepts.

The top prize for the competition is $3,000, with additional cash prizes for second and third place.

First round submissions, short videotaped pitches known as “elevator pitches,” are due 11:59 p.m. on March 6.

World War I art exhibit opens on campus

The Truman State Art Gallery and the Pickler Memorial Library Special Collections Department will display two interrelated art exhibits about World War I Jan. 26 through March 3. The exhibits will contain art and artifacts from World War I. A reception for the opening of the exhibitions will be held Jan. 27 from 5-7 p.m. in the University Art Gallery. All are welcome.

Photo by Rachel Fechter/TMN

CRIME REPORTS DPS & KPD

Serving the University community since 1909

Staff 1/17 Fraud reported at the 500 block of 1/15 Domestic disturbance reported at W. Mary St. the 700 block of E. Harrison St. Editor-in-Chief Austin Hornbostel Managing Editor Johanna Burns News Editor (Text) Rachel Fechter Lifestyle Editor (Text) Austin Hornbostel Lifestyle Editor (Multimedia) Brently Snead Sports Editor (Text) Rachel Steinhoff Sports Editor (Multimedia) Seth Wolfmeyer Opinions Editor Will Chaney Copy Chief Megan Robison Assistant Copy Chief Molly Thal Design Chief Samantha Nielson Staff Writers Emily Merkle, Clayton Berry, Stephanie Hulett, Brooke Bailey, Curt Wichmer, Chris Burk, Lesley Reno, Mercy Tee, Kayla Perkins, Nicolas Telep, Kira Hintz, Spencer Foust, Morgan Alexander, Jeremy Jacob, Jessica Schultz Cartoonist Anna Kintree, August Davis Copy Editors Julianna Foster, Megan Gibbons, Trevor Hamblin, Katie Puryear, Ian Madden, Bethany Spitzmiller, Mackenna Palazza Designers Clarissa Todd, Lawrence Hu, Mariah Radle Photo Editor Damian Soane Photographers Athena Geldbach, Austin Dellamano, Hannah Conner, Hudson Taylor Distribution Manager Kain Kneib Distribution Representatives Jessica Rose, Taylor Libbert Adviser Don Krause

1/16 Property damage reported at the 1/14 Theft reported at the 100 block of 1000 block of S. Davis St. E. McPherson St. 1/16 Theft reported at the 800 block of 1/14 Theft reported at the 1000 block of N. Davis St. N. Osteopathy St. 1/16 Harassment reported at the 900 1/13 Aggravated assault reported at the block of N. Green St. 1400 block of N. Walnut St. 1/16 Burglary reported at the 800 block of E. Normal Ave.

1/13 Intoxicated person arrested at the 600 block of N. Elson St.

1/15 Domestic disturbance reported at 1/9 Theft reported at the 1300 block of the 80 block of Manor Crest Drive S. High St.

Mark your calendar Welcome Back Comedian: Matt Kirshen

Cantoria and Wind Symphony Concert

7:30 p.m.

Jan. 20 SUB Georgian Rooms

2-3 p.m.

Jan. 22 Ophelia Parrish Performance Hall

Doors to British comedian Matt Kirshen’s comedy show will open at 7 p.m. A finalist on Last Comic Standing, Kirshen has appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and The Late Late Show.

Both Truman musical groups in this dual performance have been selected to perform concerts at the 2017 Missouri Music Educators Association conference during late January.

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2017

Harry Potter shows flaws in government

Korbin Keller The Harry Potter series — books, movies and spinoffs — played a huge role in my childhood. It often filled my head with a world of whimsy and wonder as images of wands, witches and wizards appeared right in front of me. For many of us, the nature of Harry Potter took on an almost quasi-religious devotion. A devotion that I shamefully must admit I have been neglecting. However, recently I have been called back to worship at the altar, thanks to my long-time girlfriend’s blasphemous sin — she’s never seen the movies before! The only solution was to immediately convert her to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

However, when rewatching the series, I began to notice some interesting themes sprinkled throughout the work. As the saying goes, when I was a child I thought and reasoned as a child. Now, it appears Harry Potter is getting at quite an interesting theme — the government totally sucks.

Throughout all seven books and eight films — and even in the new film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them — The Ministry of Magic, the magical government of the Wizarding World, is shown to be completely inept, corrupt and full-on meddling in the lives of witches and wizards everywhere. For instance, as is mentioned throughout the books, the government was completely incapable of fighting the villain Lord Voldemort. Rather, it took the efforts of private citizens, organized in a secret underground resistance — the Order of the Phoenix — who were the ones brave and strong enough to oppose his tyrannical approach to power. This is a portrayal of the government incapable of opposing the Dark Lord, while a group of private citizens operate outside the scope of government, knowing it was co-opted by Lord Voldemort. This seems to imply it is the voluntary actions of private individuals — not the state — who are capable of fighting against tyranny and standing up for liberty.

As noted in “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” the Ministry of Magic has often resorted to scapegoating and ignoring a proper justice system, opting for an expedited process to bolster its own power. The Ministry blamed poor, innocent Hagrid for the murder committed by Tom Riddle. The Ministry saw in Hagrid a vulnerable minority, a half-giant, halfman, upon whom they could easily place the blame for the killing. This theme resonates again in “The Prisoner of Azkaban.” Sirius Black was wrongly sentenced, without trial or investigation, for the sake of “wrapping up the case.” We see, in Harry Potter, the government constantly convicts the wrong people rather than be seen as weak. Furthermore, the Ministry sentenced the creature Buckbeak “in order to protect the children.” The government decided it needed to execute an innocent creature because it believed in bubble wrapping the kids of the Wizarding World.

Nowhere can the message of an intrusive and interventionist government be seen more strongly than in “Order of the Phoenix.” First of all, upon hearing news that Lord Voldemort had returned, rather than addressing the issue, the government chose instead to deny it, censoring the news — no freedom of the press here — and launching a massive cover-up. Eventually, the government went so far as to send the despised Dolores Umbridge to Hogwarts, in order to put a government approved stamp on the curriculum. Hermione gravely stated, “the ministry is interfering at Hogwarts.” There are similarities to Common Core to be seen. Umbridge quickly takes to dictating the lives of students, prohibiting freedom to petition, speak, or assemble. Could we see a warning against government setting the curriculum and interfering in the ability for teachers to set the lessons? Are these harrowing warnings against a nanny state, focused on deciding every aspect of our lives? Furthermore, it is revealed that the Ministry has trampled on the rights of marginalized, non-human magical creatures — centaurs, house elves and giants have all been victims of government oppression.

With a government so able to act without constraint, it comes to no surprise how easily Lord Voldemort was able to take it over and immediately set it towards promoting his totalitarian agenda of racial superiority and fascism.

Only a very small number of wizards took a qualm to the new ministry policies, while the vast majority of the gov-

ernment appeared content and satisfied with the shifting focus toward dictatorship. Perhaps, these are lessons showing that citizens need constant vigilance in order to hold their government accountable, and that the citizenry needs to remain active in preventing a tyrannical takeover. It is lucky that every wizard possesses the right to bear wands, and that the Order of Phoenix was able to use that tool in order to resist, and ultimately overcome, the forces of evil.

Perhaps this is the case of the Mirror of Erised affect, where I am peering into a looking glass and only seeing what I wish to see most. However, the constant antagonistic relationship between Harry and his friends and the Ministry of Magic show that many in the Wizarding World are apprehensive at the idea of an overactive government. The government was certainly no friend to Harry throughout the series, and should be approached with a level of distrust when it functions at its best capacity, and to actively resist it when it performs at its worst. Although we see a marvelous world in the Harry Potter series, it does contain some illuminating political commentary. I advise you to watch or read through the series once again, and pay close attention to the political undertones.

Korbin Keller is a junior political science major from O’Fallon, Mo.

Diversity is not enough to fix inequity

Ben Wallis Appeals to “diversity” are everywhere. Politicians exhort us to reject bigotry and build multicultural and multiethnic communities. Universities take great pains to display their acceptance of students of all backgrounds. In the workplace, employees are encouraged to participate in “diversity training sessions” meant to develop the skills of “cultural awareness” and “inclusivity.” Certainly, these are all more-or-less commendable efforts — the opposite of diversity is homogeneity, established through the separation or suppression of difference. But diversity by itself cannot accomplish justice or remedy social inequalities. Too often, talk of diversity is substituted for frank discussions about equality. If the goal of progressive politics is to eliminate oppression and exploitation, we must aim for more than diversity. We must aim for equity.

The idea of diversity is rooted in the idea of tolerance.

“Diverse communities” are supposedly absent of harmful conflicts that occur along the dividing lines of sex, race, culture or creed. While a “diverse college campus” might witness disagreements between its students, these are

resolved peacefully, through dialogue and mutual respect.

Tolerance allows dissimilar people to understand and coexist with one another. Diverse spaces are often styled as mosaics in which many unique parts contribute to the whole. But this metaphor is overly simplistic. Mosaics lack a perspective of depth that would reveal the inequalities that exist in diverse communities. The subtle operation of systemic prejudices — whether racial, sexual, cultural, and so on — remain untroubled. Unfortunately, even the most principled application of tolerance does nothing to correct the unequal distribution of material and social resources.

Economic inequality in America presents serious problems for narratives fixated on diversity. For every dollar made by a white household, black households made 59 cents, according to an October 2016 study from Penn Wharton’s Public Policy Initiative. In terms of hourly wages, black men took home 75 cents to white men’s dollar. Black women took 64 cents, and Hispanic women brought home 54 cents. The specter of housing discrimination continues to haunt communities of color, as owning a home “is the primary vehicle of wealth building in this country,” according to the same article. Such an uneven allocation of resources ultimately translates into an uneven allocation of opportunities and advantages in broader social life. Furthermore, extreme inequality exists within and between “identity communities.” Any wealthy individual generally has more power than a poor individual, regardless of their other characteristics.

The median wealth of upper-income families is 70 times that of lower-income families, according to a 2014 Pew Research report. How can diversity confront these issues?

By locating the ills of society in intolerance — a problem of attitude — diversity tends to overlook the material

bases of inequality. The enormous gaps in wealth between social groups continues to affect their members in all spheres of social existence — diverse or not. So while diverse communities might indeed include individuals of all backgrounds, these individuals often possess unequal means and opportunities. Meaningfully addressing these disparities requires resources to be redistributed and institutions to be changed. This is a costly and time-consuming enterprise. Because of this, cities, universities and workplaces often settle for the appearance of “diversity” in lieu of investing in programs meant to empower marginalized individuals. Programs exclusively focused on diversity are in constant danger of being trapped at a cosmetic level.

None of this is to say that diversity is not a worthy goal of progressive politics. However, diversity in and of itself is not sufficient to ensure equality and social justice.

At the university level, calls for diversity must be followed by real investments in programs and institutions that facilitate the overcoming of social inequalities. Acknowledging LGBT students is therefore not enough — an LGBT resource center is needed, to materially counter the disadvantages faced by these students. Similarly, calls for multiculturalism must be married to the expansion of multicultural programs, creating outlets for the expressions of students from different backgrounds. Above all, universities must seek to make themselves accessible to everyone — via affirmative action policies and lower tuitions. A diverse university is desirable, but it is no substitute for an equitable one. We can and should push for better.

Ben Wallis is a junior

political science and history major from Troy, Mo.

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH | Truman administration continues to search for a new university president with specific qualifications.

Continued from page 1 Dave Rector, Vice President of Finance and Planning, said he wants Truman students to be aware of the financial aspect of the presidential selection process. Rector said students will not have to pay a fee to cover applicants’ airfare and hotel expenses during the interview process that started earlier this month.

“We had anticipated the costs associated with the presidential search when developing the budget for this fiscal year, so no extra costs would be passed on to students. It is being paid for by the Institutional Support Budget.” Rector said.

Debra Kerby, Presidential Search Committee co-chair, said Truman students will not be getting a president identical to former University President Troy Paino. “[Paino] had a special ability to connect with students, and it would be difficult to find a new president exactly like him,” Kerby said.

Kerby said one of the first qualities Truman administration is focusing on in regards to choosing a new president is proven success as a president or provost at a former public liberal arts school.

Kerby said the search committee is also looking for someone who embraces a public liberal arts school’s mission that focuses on academics.

Kerby said a candidate who has proven success as a provost or president is essential because Truman is known for emphasizing teaching and student learning rather than the major faculty research commonly found at other universities.

Kerby said besides having unquestionable character, the committee also wants a president with people skills.

Kerby said the Board of Governors wants someone who strives to make wise decisions by listening to all their constituents and all those who would be affected by the decision.

Kerby said this includes all potential administrative, financial and academic affairs policy, as well as campus planning and public safety decisions that concern Truman faculty, staff and students.

Kerby said the new president will have to be able to communicate well with Truman alumni, legislators, student organizations, Faculty Senate, and faculty and staff within academic departments.

Kerby said the Board of Governors is searching for a president who makes student learning a priority and handles sensitive issues tactfully.

Kerby said the next Truman president will need to be able to discuss changes that Paino proposed during his presidency.

For example, Kerby said, the president would have to discuss the possibility of curriculum changes with the provost and other parties involved.

Paino was in the process of discussing and making possible changes concerning the LSP curriculum requirements. Paino was considering replacing the LSP curriculum with a more intense experiential learning format called High Impact Experience.

Kerby said, for example, students could choose to complete a High Impact Experience by participating in an internship, undergraduate student research project, a study abroad experience or a service learning project experience related to their major.

Kirksville counselors weigh in on recent deaths

By Kira Hintz Staff Writer

Editor’s Note: This piece is part two of two in a series about families and mental health in Kirksville.

Members of the Kirksville community are still trying to process the suicide of Danny Welte Jr. that happened Nov. 13 and the murder of his mother, Echo Welte, which took place just days later. In reaction to these events, the community has continued an open conversation about mental health and family dynamics.

A family counselor from the Kirksville community and a Kirksville High School counselor added to the conversation about mental health.

Heather Crifo, associate counselor and behavioral technician at Preferred Family Healthcare, said poor communication skills are a problem in toxic families. Crifo said toxic families can have trouble identifying their issues and knowing what they lack, as well as being able to come together and communicate an issue and listen.

Family therapy can be helpful, Crifo said, if everybody in the family is open to the idea and willing to go through emotions and to talk through the struggles they’ve experienced. Crifo said if an individual has no desire to open up, it can hinder a successful therapy outcome.

Crifo said initially, having the family communicate with a mediator during therapy sessions is useful because they can help the other family members understand the depth of the problem without the worry of face-to-face aggression. Crifo said once families open their proverbial wounds and start working through them, then they can move forward without needing a mediator.

Crifo said a counselor or mediator should never try to influence a client’s story, especially when it involves something traumatic or crime-based.

“I do not change the story,” Crifo said. “I listen for key things that they say, and we keep going back and reviewing just to see what they remember and their feelings, just to bring those back out. And as far as the ethics of that, it never leaves. It stays between that person and my ears, but I’m only there to help them solve their own issues. My job is to help guide them to find their issue and help pull that out, so I only ask questions, I never influence anything.”

“We’re in this profession for a reason — because we care. Because we know that there are young people who need help ... ” -Katie Mendez, Kirksville High School counselor

Crifo said family dynamics can change dramatically when there’s a death in the family. She said some people isolate themselves and act up because they don’t know how to handle the feelings they’re having.

Good ways to deal with grief in families, Crifo said, are to care about others’ emotions, listen, not shut people out and actively look to see if family members are purposely isolating themselves.

Crifo said finding mental health services can vary depending on the severity of the situation and the urgency. A person can start by talking to family, Crifo said, but can move to friends, possibly reach out to a church that can help, or decide to go seek help from a psychologist. Crifo said mental

health services in Kirksville include Preferred Family Healthcare and Mark Twain Behavioral Health, but there are online hotlines that can help in a crisis or guide a person in the right direction toward help.

Katie Mendez, Kirksville High School counselor, said it’s important for young people — especially those in high school — to talk to a supportive adult about mental health and to realize it’s okay to be vulnerable. Mendez said there is a stigma behind asking for help, and high school counselors don’t see as many students because of that stigma.

“We’re in this profession for a reason — because we care,” Mendez said.

“Because we know that there are young people who need help and I also would say to them — and I say it to my students often — some of the best counselors I know have been counseled themselves and have experienced a successful counseling relationship and situations that have been able to change in a positive way as a result of counseling.

I also tell them that counselors need counselors. Everybody needs an unbiased, third-party person who is not a parent or a friend or who is not a family member or best friend or somebody who is emotionally invested.”

Mendez said KHS counselors have different strategies for helping students, like giving them tasks each night to boost self-esteem, helping them to think differently about situations, implementing relaxation strategies and suggesting coping skills. Mendez said if students don’t feel comfortable talking to counselors, they can talk to a teacher they feel comfortable with, and Mendez said she has no problem supervising the class so the student can talk to that teacher. Also,

Travel smarter.

Mendez said KHS counselors are trained and know when to refer a student to a trained medical professional if the situation is dire or not something counselors can necessarily take on.

The counseling department of the district, Mendez said, has created a crisis manual that helps guide faculty to help students cope with tragedies. Mendez said the manual gives an outline of responsibilities and lists where to go and what to do for support. Mendez said with situations of that nature, Preferred Family Healthcare and Mark Twain Behavioral Health are also called to provide support for students, faculty and staff.

Mendez said KHS takes mental health very seriously and the staff is well trained.

Mendez said there are times when counselors or staff can be desensitized to mental health issues because they see so much of it or might not always know the right thing to say, but they are still there to provide support and not just to change schedules.

“As much as we say it, we really do mean that you’re never in trouble when you come to the counselor’s office,” Medez said. “And that’s something we strive to advocate for ourselves and our community. We’re not here to administer consequences. We’re strictly here to be rapport. We have lots of jobs, and I’m not sure students are completely aware even after we have said, ‘We’re here for you,’ and our door is always open.

I think that’s cliche, and students say, ‘Oh, that’s just what they have to say,’ sort of thing, but we find that most students feel successful when they can step back and say, ‘Wow, my counselor or somebody was real supportive of me in high school and helped me get through those tough times.’”

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5

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2017

PUSHES FOR EXPOSURE

28 th Anniversary

WOMEN’S RESOURCE CENTER

BY ASHLEY CRAVEN Contributing Writer

The Women’s Resource Center at Truman State University will be celebrating its 28th year on campus this February.

However, unless you’re a member of the WRC staff, you’ll probably have to be pointed in the right direction when finding the small, glass-windowed office tucked into a corner of the Student Union Building.

WRC director senior Maggie Mortensen has been a member for three years and is finishing up her first semester as head executive.

“We started out in a closet,” Mortensen said, referring to the location of the first WRC office in the main foyer of Ryle Hall. “Now we’re in a slightly bigger closet.”

Mortensen said the WRC has a hard time reaching out to students because their office is so hard to find and also because the mission of the center — education and awareness — is the same as it was when the center was first established on campus.

Most of the information the WRC helped release at that time was not as accessible to students as it is now.

“Our purpose is to educate and serve the Truman community,” Mortensen said. “However, a lot of the education can be done these days with Google, making our job a little more difficult.”

This isn’t to say the WRC is struggling to emphasize digital convergence in its outreach. It is active on Facebook and is finding new ways to reach out to the community through social media, Mortensen said.

“We’re working on our [social media] impact but also on our peer support in the center,” Mortensen said. “We want people to feel comfortable coming to the center when they just need someone to talk to.”

Mortensen said the WRC staff offers free peer counseling for people with questions or concerns about sexual health, and they also help people find the resources they need. Additionally, the WRC staff offers several programs to students throughout the year.

Nikki Batinick, WRC public relations executive coordinator, is a second-year member of the center and helps organize some of the events the WRC hosts.

“We do a lot of cool projects on campus,” Batinick said. “We educate students about sexual health, and we also have things like the self-defense class we teach, which is one of my favorites.”

Batinick said every year, each executive member is in charge of planning their own event, and they can be as creative with those as possible.

For example, Batinick said the WRC hosted a showcase at the end of last semester with pictures and flyers from the center’s years at Truman. Batinick said the event was also a fun excuse for students to dress up and eat fancy food.

While there are many interesting events sponsored by the WRC that take place on campus throughout the academic year, Batinick and Mortensen said they wish more people on campus knew about these programs.

Paige Wolkober, WRC executive assistant director, has been working for the WRC for the last academic year, and this is her first year in an executive position.

“We all feel like we’re not as well-known as we can be,” Wolkober said. “We’re trying to figure out

Submitted photo Senior Sydney Gosik and junior Nikki Batinick, Women’s Resource Center public relations executive coordinator, table for the WRC at the Student Activity Fair, working to promote the center to students interested in getting more involved on campus.

Junior Paige Wolkober, WRC executive assistant director, said this is how many students are recruited to work for the center.

“We started out in a closet. Now we’re in a slightly bigger closet.”

-Senior Maggie Mortensen, Women’s Resource Center director

how we can be a better resource to the campus and better serve them by finding out what they need.”

Wolkober knows about the struggles the center has experienced with public relations during the past and she said she is hoping to overcome this during upcoming semesters.

“We just switched to chalking for our PR outreach because we felt like our posters were ineffective, and we were spending a ton of money on them,” Wolkober said.

In addition to this, Wolkober said, the WRC is collaborating with other organizations to get the word out.

“We do a lot with Active Minds, an organization involved with mental health on campus,” Wolkober said. “One of our executive members is in that organization. We get people from those classes who care about these issues to come to our events.”

Overall, the purpose of the organization is to be supportive of the Truman community, and it is finding better ways to do that.

“We have staffers in the center all the time who will listen and be supportive if people come in,” Wolkober said. “I want to make sure people know what resources we have and also that people know where we’re actually located.”

services offered by Truman’s

women’s resource center Information about sexually transmitted infections, safe sex and pregnancy options

Literature about a wide range of topics, including sexuality, gender, and issues of racism and sexism

Educational and entertainment-based programs

peer to peer counseling

lOCATION:

The WRC is located in the SUB Down Under in Room 1109C

Condoms and dental dams Source: http://wrc.truman.edu/

VOLUME 108

ISSUE 12

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@TrumanMediaNet

© 2017

6

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2017

REACTING TO VIDEOGAMES

BY AUSTIN HORNBOSTEL Editor-in-chief index.editor@gmail.com

Like most school breaks, this one wasn’t an exception when it came to quality shows to binge-watch and movies to see in theaters way more than once. Between movies and shows like "La La Land" or Donald Glover’s "Atlanta" — both of which were excellent and you should watch right away — we all had plenty to take in. However, the media experience that impacted me the most during the last month came from a video game.

Anybody who knows me well enough can tell you I can’t get enough of video games. My parents plugged in an original Playstation console in my bedroom when I was a kid and from then, I was hooked. I’m 22 now and — unashamedly — just as in love with video games as an entertainment medium as I was when I first discovered them. Much like the books I grew up reading just as avidly, video games allow me to be a part of another world and live out the adventures of dynamic characters, but with the added bonus of getting to play through a fully interactive story.

All that being said, it’s only natural that my favorite Christmas gift came in the form of a new game that was first announced during 2006 — Final Fantasy XV. The Final Fantasy series is made up of standalone roleplaying games, each with their own stories and characters. Yes, there have been 15 of these games, and no, they truly haven’t gotten old yet. The last main series title released during 2009, and since then it’s been a painstakingly long wait for what we finally received last November. It was a departure for a franchise that has always been very story-driven, with the newest entry in the series focusing more on gameplay and a core group of characters.

In Final Fantasy XV, the player takes control of Noctis, the crown prince of a kingdom called Lucis, as he travels across a continent with his three best friends — Prompto, Gladiolus and Ignis — to be wed to his bride-to-be, Lunafreya. And really, this is just about the only part of the plot that makes sense. While I loved this game, it’s an entry in a series famous for convoluted stories, and this one takes the cake. In fact, the developers have promised they will release downloadable content that adds more in-game cutscenes to better explain the story.

But this one sentence synopsis was also the only thing in this story I truly cared about as the player. Some other weird, unexplainable things happen between the beginning of this game and its completion, but the payoff in this experience lies in the journey your characters take together as friends, not the journey itself.

Noctis and his friends drive in a car across the open world of Final Fantasy XV on what is basically a video game road trip. There are options in the game to fast travel to locations your characters have already visited but if they’re traveling to a new location, the player is along for the ride as they drive in real time across the map. The friends will chat sporadically but largely just sit in silence, enjoying the ride and sometimes marveling at the scenery. You can even turn on the car radio during the drive, if you need something to listen to. They’ll stop the car so Prompto can take group photos, take breaks at rest stops to refill their gas tank, and Gladiolus will even pull out a book and read during longer drives.

When they arrive at their destination, the group will get out of the car and stretch as they take in their new surroundings. If they’re trekking across the varied landscapes of the game on foot they’ll battle monsters together, and when night falls the player has the option to track down a campsite for the group to stay at overnight, where Ignis will cook them a meal. It’s all a very raw, realistic representation of taking a road trip with a group of close friends — that is, besides the fantasy setting and combat against monsters.

This is where this game truly shines. I still don’t mind much that the story didn’t make sense, or that it moved a little too quickly when I wasn’t focused on completing various side missions instead of advancing the plot. When I finally reached the end of the story after well over 50 hours of gameplay, I found myself openly crying because of the close-knit relationship I’d grown so attached to following. I had fallen for the dynamic of this group of friends because it felt genuine. I sunk 50 hours of my life into getting sidetracked exploring this world with them, camping out and eating new meals by the fire with them, and conquering difficult battles with them.

Noctis, Gladiolus, Prompto and Ignis ultimately taught me that sometimes, the experiences that impact us the most are the ones that remind us of ourselves. I spent my time playing this game remembering a road trip I took to Colorado with some friends a couple summers ago. I remember how sad I was as I realized it was about to end, and I was even sadder as this fictional one drew to a close. A fictional narrative that can draw that kind of response out of the player is truly a special one.

I can’t say a lot more about the specifics that really pulled at my heartstrings without spoiling the game, so I’ll leave you with this — look for the stories you relate to. Whether it’s a movie, a TV show, a book or a video game, find an experience you resonate with that you can sink five — or 50 — hours into with no regrets. I’d do it all over again, and I probably will go on this road trip time and time again.

Students and administration look toward tackling diversity issues

BY RACHEL STEINHOFF Sports Text Editor

As diversity issues grab the spotlight on the national stage, colleges and universities are forced to reexamine the shape of campus environments in issues of race, ethnicity, gender and disabilities.

But as diversity awareness rises, some planned initiatives have stalled at the implementation phase at Truman State University.

In response to the highly broadcast racial issues at the University of Missouri during the second half of 2015, former University President Troy Paino implemented the University Strategic Plan for Inclusive Excellence — a recognition for a need to think more carefully, completely and urgently about issues relating to discrimination, equity and the celebration of diversity.

Jamie Ball, Truman’s Title IX institutional compliance officer and co-chair of the committee to develop the plan, said the diversity issues currently acknowledged on campus were broken down into specific tactics for implementation. Many of these tactics stress curricular inclusion and opportunities for conversation.

“Dr. Paino was mindful of the fact that what was happening at [the Uni-

versity of Missouri] was a crisis point of a community that had not addressed its issues over time,” Ball said.

“Here at Truman, we thankfully aren’t amidst a crisis, but he seized on the opportunity to be proactive and be mindful that we can’t consider ourselves immune to a struggle with these kinds of problems.”

Ball said the development of the plan included research on programs from other universities. In self-assessment, she said the committee found Truman to have a lot of things going on in separate corners of campus, but little had been done to unify the approach. Ball said the individual efforts were encouraging, but Truman was losing out on the potential synergy of connecting the campus efforts.

“I think we have a lot of people doing a lot of good work to address some of the tough issues," Ball said. "It’s just a matter of coordinating those efforts to make them more powerful.”

But how united is Truman on this issue more than one year later?

The Plan for Inclusive Excellence seems to have hit at least one standstill in its inaugural year. Marked as “in progress by student government,” more than one year ago, the Truman student body has yet to see the implementation of the proposed Courageous Conversation series.

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Senior Cory Hogan, Student Senate Diversity chair, said the series was originally proposed as a way to a foster a safe space for talking and listening to others about controversial topics ranging from racial tensions to elections.

Hogan said the series kicked off last spring as part of Truman’s diversity week

events but has since been at a standstill.

Hogan said Student Senate planned the conversation as a one time event and did not think to follow up until John Gardner, Director of Truman Residence Life, started inquiring about the full-time implementation of the series.

See DIVERSITY, page 7

Throwback Thursday: International students Truman State University welcomed its 2017 spring class of international students last week. Students from around the world arrived on campus Jan. 11-12 for International Orientation before the rest of the student body returned. The students participated in a variety of icebreakers and activities designed to integrate them into Truman — and American — life. In honor of its new members, we look back at a time when Truman's international community participated in world history.

In 1964, international students from Kenya celebrated the first anniversary of their country's independence. The program, hosted in Kirk Auditorium — now, Kirk Gym — began with the Kenya National Anthem and the United States National Athem, followed by congratulatory messages from then Kirksville mayor, L.P. Anesi, and legislators in Jefferson City and speeches by students from Kenya and Japan, according to a Dec. 16 Index article.

The 300 plus guests then celebrated the historic moment with song selections from their country's African highlife music and folk music. And of course, no celebration is complete without dancing.

7

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2017

EVENTS Take Root Cafe features live music 6-7 p.m. Jan. 21 Take Root Cafe The newly - opened Take Root Cafe is hosting a night of live music. Come out and enjoy the musical stylings of The Whistlers.

Agriculture and Rural Crimes Program 6-8 p.m. Jan. 23 Kirksville Area Technical Center

TOP

Join the Missouri Rural Investigation Unit for a program focused on investigating crimes specific to the Missouri agriculture industry and farming communities.

1 2

Things We Watched Over Winter Break Hidden Figures. We loved this story of the women of color behind one of the greatest operations in NASA’s history. Also, fun fact — Pharrell Williams was a producer for this film and that’s pretty cool.

Wikipedia describes Westworld as a “science fiction western thriller.” In the show, an artificial intelligencepopulated amusement park allows high-paying guests to live out their fantasies without consequences.

DIVERSITY | Student Senate and administration work to restart conversations about diversity on Truman’s campus.

Continued from page 6 The same issues of timeliness in implementation of inclusion strategies can be made against the other side, however, with Student Senate feeling a lack of support or communication from Truman’s administration.

As Diversity Chair of Student Senate last year, senior Christy Crouse and Jerad Green, former Multicultural Affairs Center director, met regularly to formulate the idea of the Courageous Conversation Series. With new leadership, however, the idea failed to take off. With Hogan taking over as diversity chair and Green leaving the University, Courageous Conversations went mute.

Crouse said Truman’s biggest downfall in terms of diversity is simply the buyin from faculty and students about the critical importance of making immediate changes to the campus environment.

“This has also happened with the LGBTQ+ Resource Center,” Crouse said. “Student Senate can write hundreds of these resolutions, and we have, but if support from students, staff and administrators is not in full force, none of it will ever get done.”

Though recently approved and set for action, Crouse also expressed her frustration with the lack of support for the Student Senate’s request for an international flag display on campus.

Crouse said the task, which should be quite simple, has been a huge chore for student government as campus officials seem unwilling to have the display in their area on campus and uninterested in helping push the project forward.

“I have been frustrated with the lack of action on the part of people in power at the University,” Crouse said. “Interim [Univeristy] President [Sue] Thomas has been amazing this year — she actually wants to get things done and is truly helping us complete projects. It’s amazing what happens when people start to care and realize the importance of being openly welcoming and inclusive at Truman.”

3 4 5

Moana. This Disney-Pixar film helped a lot of us start break off right. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Auli’i Cravalho form a fun tandem as the demigod Maui and the titular Moana as they journey across the ocean.

Star Wars fans were given a treat during the holidays. Rogue One tells fans an interesting side story in Star Wars lore about a rebel’s quest to exact revenge upon the Empire.

Despite being the most recent entry on this list to premiere, we still managed to binge-watch all of A Series of Unfortunate Events. This Netflix original series leaves viewers feelings more fortunate, not less.

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8

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2017

Basketball continues GLVC play during Winter Break

BY CURT WICHMER Staff Writer

During Winter Break, Truman State University men’s basketball recorded a record of 4-2, including an overtime win against Benedict College. At the end of break, the men now sit at 13-4 overall. On the women’s side, Truman exits the break with an 8-8 record overall, going 3-3 over the last month.

With their “break” behind them, Truman’s basketball teams move forward to a weekend in St. Louis against Maryville University and University of Missouri-St. Louis.

The men’s team is heading into the weekend after an exhibition game against Div. I Creighton University, ranked No. 8 nationally. Although Truman lost with a final score of 10169, senior forward Billy Daniel said the exhibition game left the team in a positive mindset because Truman showed it could keep up during the first half, and all the players played during the second half. Previewing the weekend in St. Louis, Daniel said keeping a defensive focus and fighting for rebounds will be crucial because many opposing teams have a size advantage.

“Maryville and UMSL are two good teams that will challenge us,” Daniel said. “Winning on the road is difficult against any team in the GLVC, so we need to focus and get prepared for next week. UMSL has some size and plays inside-out well, so we will have to figure out how to counter that. Maryville plays a motion offense that requires you to really lock in on defense, so focus will be the key for this week.”

Earlier in the year, women’s basketball lost to UMSL, so on Saturday, the ‘Dogs will be looking for payback. Head Coach Amy Eagan said in the last game against UMSL, the Bulldogs had trouble defending one-on-one penetration in the guard position and hope to improve in that respect. Eagan said the key to winning will be putting together a complete game, offensively and defensively.

“I think both Maryville and UMSL have a lot of talent and are well coached,” Eagan said. “I think at this point, we have to worry about ourselves first and finding ways to get better. We have to take smarter shots on the offensive end and at the same time get more stops on the defensive end.”

Junior forward Kennedy Martin said the Bulldogs will try to lock down on defense this week. Martin said the team will use its recent loss against Bellarmine University to put all its focus and energy into the games in St. Louis. She said the team needs to remember to stay relaxed and confident on offense and take on defense one possession at a time.

“Every team in the GLVC is good,” Martin said. “Any team can win on any given night. Since we are playing on these teams’ home courts this week, we have to go out there with more confidence and energy. It’s easy to have that confidence when you’re playing on your home court — it’s more of a challenge when you’re playing on the road.”

The men’s and women’s teams will play against Maryville today, Jan. 19, and UMSL Saturday. Should Truman sweep the weekend, the men’s team would improve to 15-3, and the women’s team would move up to 10-8.

Photo by Rachel Steinhoff/ TMN

Photo submitted by Truman Athletics Photo by Rachel Steinhoff/ TMN Top Right: Sophmore Nathan Messer fires up a three in Truman’s upset victory over No. 9 Bellarmine University. Truman knocked off the Knights by 77-22.

Bottom left: Senior guard Kyle Kanaskie protects the ball and looks to hit an open teammate. Kanaskie hit two threes late in the game to give Truman the lead.

Bottom Right: Freshman guard Sloane Totta drives into the lane against Bellarmine defenders. The Knights are No. 4 in Div. II and defeated Truman 89-77.

UPCOMING EVENTS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL 1/19: 5:30 p.m. vs. Maryville University St. Louis, Mo. 1/21: 1 p.m. vs. University of Missouri-St. Louis St. Louis, Mo.

WOMEN’S SWIMMING

MEN’S BASKETBALL 1/19: 7:30 p.m. vs. Maryville University St. Louis, Mo. 1/21: 3:30 p.m. vs. University of Missouri-St. Louis St. Louis, Mo.

1/21: 1:00 p.m. vs. Washington University in St. Louis Kirksville, Mo.

TRACK AND FIELD 1/21: Snowbird Meet Jacksonville, Ill.

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MEN’S SWIMMING

WRESTLING

1/20: 6:00 p.m. vs. Missouri S&T Kirksville, Mo. 1/21: 1:00 p.m. vs. Washington University in St. Louis Kirksville, Mo.

1/20: 1:00 p.m. vs. University of Indianapolis Kirksville, Mo. 1/21: TBA vs. Bellarmine University Kirksville, Mo.

9

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

Wrestling to host first ever GLVC matches

Sunshine State preps ‘Dogs for final haul

BY RACHEL STEINHOFF

Sports Text Editor index.sportseditor@gmail.com

Welcome to GLVC wrestling. As announced in August 2016, the GLVC will sponsor its first championship season for student-athletes on the mat.

This weekend marks a significant step for Truman State University wrestling and the GLVC as Truman hosts the University of Indianapolis and Bellarmine University on Saturday for the opening event of conference action.

“Being able to host the first GLVC wrestling dual in Pershing is very exciting,” redshirt senior JJ Dorrell said. “It’s going to be crazy, and it’s great for the sport and athletes.”

In the inaugural year as a GLVC-sponsored sport, the league decided that a postseason conference tournament would not be scheduled for this season. Instead, team and individual conference champions would be determined by their winning percentage of head-to-head duals.

This year, Truman is picked to finish sixth out of seven, according to the GLVC wrestling preseason coaches poll.

This weekend’s competition features the fourth-ranked team in University of Indianapolis and the eighth ranked team in Bellarmine. Dorrell said this weekend will be a good first test to settle into what will be top-notch competition in the conference.

“Even though this is the first year that the GLVC sponsors wrestling, that doesn’t mean that the teams are soft,” Dorell said. “The GLVC currently houses the No. 3, No. 5 and No. 8 teams in the nation, along with two others who are receiving votes. This conference is tough as nails. This Saturday is going to be a test for us, and this conference is going to be tough. But that will only make us better come time for regionals, and that’s what matters.”

Truman’s first test will be the University of Indianapolis Greyhounds, who will enter Pershing Arena Saturday on a hot streak at 8-5 in duals after recently knocking off both the No.1 and No.5 teams in Div. II last week.

Bellarmine University, in its first year of supporting a wrestling program, will face the Bulldogs later in the day, looking for its first win at dual meet with an 0-6 record.

The Truman wrestlers will hit the mats fresh off a come-from-behind victory at Benedictine College. The ‘Dogs fell behind 21-9 early in the meet, but clawed their way back to an even score with wins by Dorrell, redshirt sophomore Caleb Osborn, freshman Jules Joseph and sophomore Sam Reeves.

Freshman Ashton Mutuwa completed the rally and gave Truman the 25-21 victory with his four-point major decision shutout.

Mutuwa said he is enjoying the intensity of wrestling at the college level and expects the level of competition to take an even bigger step this weekend in the conference openers.

“Everyone is good,” Mutuwa said. “In high school, I could walk on the mat, get my pin and walk off, but now every match is a battle ... we are wrestling two solid teams [this weekend], so I will get to see where I am right now.”

As a team, the ‘Dogs improved to 5-7 on the season as they head into conference play. They will take the mats 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21 in Pershing Arena.

Submitted Photo The Truman State University women’s swim team poses for a photo following a training session in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The swimmers used the warm weather and outdoor training facilities to stay motivated.

BY STEPHANIE HULETT Staff Writer

Truman State University swimming teams spent 10 days in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, during Winter Break for their annual training trip.

Junior Jamie Fitzpatrick said most colleges around the country take a training trip to a southern location to give them a chance to practice somewhere warm during their hardest grind of the season.

“It’s really good for the team to get out of Kirksville to train,” Fitzpatrick said. “It can get really draining, mentally and physically, to be stuck in the cold, alone on campus with just another team or two, grinding two plus practices a day. Going to Florida in the warm sunshine helps us to stay positive and enjoy the process more. And when we’re all in good spirits like that, we are a better team all around and make each other faster.”

The location changes from year to year and is usually picked by the coaches, but the week is not a vacation.

Fitzpatrick said the swimmers know every training trip will be one of the hardest times of the season for them.

Senior Grant Gilchrist said the teams practiced twice a day just like at school — however, the intensity was much higher during this trip.

“The training trip is a whole new ball game because we train twice as hard in the morning and afternoon, whether it is aerobic or sprint or pace sets,” Gilchrist

said. “It is all really tough work and extremely exhausting, but we get to do it somewhere that is warm.”

Gilchrist said teams are required by the NCAA to have some kind of meet while on a training trip. He said the meet was nothing too serious, but allowed the teams to put their training to the test and make it a little more fun than a regular practice.

Truman covers most of the expenses, but the swimmers still have to pay for a chunk of the travel costs. The program has a fundraiser called “Splash into Fall” to help pay for part of the trip.

Freshman Austin Mayer said they paid close to $600 each but were given a stipend for food that week. The hotel was close to a grocery store, and the swimmers rented bikes to get around while they were there. Between practices, the swimmers could spend time on the beach relaxing and playing games.

Their first meet was Sept. 24, and GLVC meet is right around the corner, Feb. 8-11. The swimmers said this training trip helps the team prepare for the last month of tough training, their senior meet and, most importantly, conference.

Mayer said the trip was incredible as a freshman because it was neat to look up to the upperclassmen and push himself to work even harder to be as good as them.

“It was completely exhausting, but it was awesome to see all the work we can put in when it really counts,” Mayer said. “The whole team worked so hard and is getting so focused for conference.”

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SPORTS

Creighton vs. Who? 10

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2017

Truman State University Men’s basketball made national television as they took on 8th-ranked Div. I opponent Creighton University in an exhibition game on Saturday. The ‘Dogs played in front of a crowd of more than 17,500 in Omaha’s CenturyLink Center.

Photos submitted by A.J. Olnes Above: Truman redshirt junior guard Zach Fischer battles for a rebound against Creighton University’s Maurice Watson Jr. and Cole Huff. The game was played as an exhibition for the Bulldogs, hosted in a packed house of Creighton’s CenturyLink Center.

Right: Redshirt senior guard Dwight Sistrunk Jr. goes up for a layup in Saturday’s game while being contested by Watson Jr. The Bluejays are currently the 8th-ranked team in Div. I men’s basketball and defeated Truman by a score of 111-69.

BY RACHEL STEINHOFF Sports Text Editor index.sportseditor@gmail.com The Div. I No. 8 Creighton University men’s basketball team has been drawing national attention all season as one of the most high-caliber teams in all of college basketball. One of their most recent games drew even more attention and had everyone asking, “who in the world is Truman State University?”

This game made national news, was on ESPN and gained mega attention on social media — not because it was supposed to be a nail-biter by any means, but the exact opposite.

When the Truman men’s basketball team traveled to Omaha, Nebraska last Saturday, it was not a question of if they would win or lose, but how bad they would lose. Still, there’s always a chance, right?

Sports are notorious for instances in which the impossible happens or teams defy the odds, but the odds of Saturday’s matchup raised some eyebrows and warranted a few laughs for sports fans around the country.

The analytics website KenPom.com gave the Bluejays a 100 percent chance of beating Truman in the match. That’s right, statistically, there was a zero percent chance of Truman beating Creighton and another great likelihood the ‘Dogs would be overpowered straight from the tipoff.

So why play the game?

Truman Head Coach Chris Foster said for Creighton, it was in large part out of desperation and necessity to their schedule. Participating in the Big East Conference, Creighton and the nine

other Big East teams were scheduled for contests as a part of a Martin Luther Kind Jr. Day marathon.

Foster said the Bluejays were set to have the day off on Saturday, giving plenty of time for rest before heading into their marathon opponent, Xavier University.

Xavier didn’t have this luxury of recovery and prep time, however, because they had a game scheduled for Saturday. Recognizing a possible advantage, Foster said the Big East sought to even the playing field.

Creighton Head Coach Greg McDermott was left with a time crunch and a Saturday afternoon to fill the CenturyLink Center.

In a rush to fill the schedule at late notice, the selection of Truman as the lucky contenders was not necessarily a random ordeal. In fact, Foster said the idea of the ‘Dogs traveling to Omaha had been a topic of conversation in the past.

McDermott and Truman head Coach Chris Foster go way back in fact. Foster played for McDermott at the University of Northern Iowa from 2001-2005 and said the two coaches had always discussed the possibility of an exhibition game between their teams.

Those conversations became reality this season, as Truman took to the CenturyLink Center for the rare opportunity of a midseason exhibition. Unable to play exhibitions after the start of regular season, the game did count toward Creighton’s record, and the Bluejays improved to 17-1 on the season, downing the ‘Dogs 101-69.

Truman stayed an extra night in Omaha, taking Sunday morning to tour facilities and giving Foster a chance to catch up with his former coach. Foster said he thinks he received a lot of his coaching philoso-

phy from McDermott and thought it was a memorable experience for his team.

“I think a lot of the things he stressed, like what it takes to be a good team and how to be a good teammate — the intangibles — I think stuff like that has all really stuck with me,” Foster said. “He actually spoke to our team on Sunday for about 10 minutes or so, and as he was talking, I could hear myself. Some of the things I tell these guys are identical to the things he told them. So then it kind of clicked with me, like I did learn a lot of this stuff from him.”

Pregame coverage of the matchup included a lot of talk about Creighton’s schedule — however, perhaps more notable is the schedule the Truman squad endured on the weekend. Like most teams in the NCAA, the ‘Dogs spent winter break fully immersed in conference play. Truman hosted two top-notch GLVC opponents before making the trip to Omaha Friday night. The ‘Dogs fell 111-89 to No. 10 Southern Indiana University on Thursday, but bounced back for a high-paced, comeback victory over No. 9 Bellarmine University Friday afternoon.

Foster said the ‘Dogs boarded the bus for Creighton immediately following Friday’s win and arrived in Omaha just before midnight. Just ten hours later, Truman was back in the locker room prepping for their third game in 41 hours.

Foster said the challenge of these three days seemed really appealing back in August, but as the weekend approached, he admitted to becoming nervous regarding how his team would hold up. Foster said there were so many benefits to the Creighton game — financially and from an expe-

rience standpoint — that there was never a question as to whether or not the challenge would be worth it.

Financially? Yes, set aside the perks of competition and experience — Foster siad the Truman men’s program received $35,000 for braving their Div. I competitor.

This amount of money is sure to soften the blow of any loss, but even though the final score suggested a blowout, in front of a packed house, the ‘Dogs actually came out with a fight that perhaps no one expected. Heading into halftime, Truman trailed by only 11 points to the No. 8 team in all of college basketball.

“I thought we played well,” Foster said.

“Creighton played some different lineups too which kind of affected them, but we did too. We usually play eight or nine guys, and once we got over the awe of the big stage, we did some really good things. We played in front of 200 people Friday and about 17,500 on Saturday. Once we got adjusted to that, we played some really good basketball.”

All 13 Bulldog men scored in the match and played double figure minutes.

Redshirt sophomore Connor Lusso came off the bench for 12 minutes and added seven points. Lusso grew up in Omaha as a Bluejay fan, and said the experience was somewhat surreal to play against a team he grew up watching on TV or from the stands.

“I had a lot of friends and family there which was really cool because a lot of them haven’t seen me play since high school,” Lusso said. “Plus, it was a great experience. I had season tickets to Creighton games growing up, so actually being on the court and experiencing everything was awesome.”

THE BEST OVER BREAK Wrestling Ashton Mutuwa, Freshman

Men’s Basketball Jake Velky, Sophomore

Women’s Basketball Cassidy Clark, Senior

Mutuwa finished fourth at the Central College Under Ar-

Velky averaged 16.7 points per game to help the Bull-

Clark kept the title of the team’s leading scorer over break

mour Invitational January 7 after losing his first match and

dogs go 4-2 over Winter Break, including a 26-point

with 18.3 points per game as Truman went 3-3. Clark’s

taking four victories in a row. Mutuwa then shutout

performance against McKendree University. During

biggest performance came against the University of Illinois

his opponent on January 12 to cap off a Bulldog

the game, Velky made 9 of 11 shots from the field,

at Springfield with 23 points while pulling down nine

comeback against Benedictine University, securing the

including eight 3-pointers, which was the sixth most

rebounds. Clark scored four points in the last 36 seconds of

team’s victory.

in team history.

the game to help secure a Bulldog victory.

VOLUME 108

ISSUE 12

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